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UK CT strategy: a new version and more

Last week the UK government published an updated edition of 'Operation Contest', along with attendant publicity and with some new legislation being presented to Parliament.

The Home Secretary, Sajid Javid (IIRC a non-practicing Muslim), placed an emphasis in his speech on:

Ultimately, our approach is about ensuring that there are no safe spaces for terrorists...First, we will work to disrupt threats earlier and we are bringing forward new legislation to enable us to do that.WeÂ’ll intervene earlier in investigations.....Fourth, we will work more closely with key partners outside of central government. We are piloting new multi-agency centres in London, Manchester and the West Midlands, to bring together the widest range of partners and improve our understanding of those at risk of becoming involved in terrorism. No government can say it will be possible to stop every single attack before it happens.This is the reality.

Javid is now in danger of capitulating to terrorismÂ’s prime goal, which is to undermine the liberties and dignities of the state. Britain is utterly obsessed with terrorism....We must be educated to accept a balance of risk. Terrorists aim to change our way of life. They want to show our much-vaunted freedoms and tolerances to be a sham. The one thing not to do is suggest they might be right. That is what Javid is doing today.

The police statement refers to the published figures and with my emphasis:

143 (32%) resulted in a charge, of which 114 (80%) were terrorism-related and 250 (57%) were released without charge. Individuals can be detained for up to 14 days (solitary confinement) under the Terrorism Act. There were 156 detentions in 2017, only 52 of which led to a charge.

Mother and daughter jailed for terror plot

An update on posts 239 & 240 and the title comes from a BBC report:

A mother and daughter, who were part of the UK's first all-female terror cell, have been jailed over a planned knife attack near the Houses of Parliament. Rizlaine Boular, 22, who was going to carry out the attack, has been sentenced to life imprisonment with a minimum term of 16 years. Her mother, Mina Dich, 44, has been given six years and nine months at the Old Bailey for helping her daughter. The pair pleaded guilty to the preparation of terrorist acts.

The Black Country bomber: an update

Ho hum too close to his former home:

A car mechanic from the West Midlands who became a master bomb maker for Isis is the reason for America’s laptop ban on flights, a former MI6 spy has revealed. Hamayun Tariq, 41, from Dudley, twice evaded the UK authorities to travel abroad where he is believed to have helped create bombs that could be disguised as laptop batteries and taken on planes. He is now feared to be adapting drones to strike football stadiums and other crowded venues.

Described as a “psychopath”, Tariq is thought to be the most accomplished terrorist bomber to emerge from Britain. The disclosures come from Aimen Dean, a former al-Qaeda explosives expert recruited by MI6 and MI5 to infiltrate UK jihadist circles.

When all the jigsaw pieces come together

From the BBC News a pre-sentencing report on a Jihadist attacker:

Khalid Ali was carrying three knives when he was tackled by armed officers near Downing Street in April 2017 - and was just moments from being able to attack police, politicians or military personnel. But unknown to him, clues picked up from bomb parts recovered from Afghanistan more than four years earlier meant that police were watching his every move....Ali's mother - concerned by his behaviour - went to his room and found four knives, which she took to a different part of the house....On his return an argument broke out when Ali realised the knives were missing. His mother called the police.

When all the jigsaw pieces come together: Part 2

An update on sentencing:

A plumber has been jailed for life for planning a terror attack in Westminster and making bombs for the Taliban. It was later revealed that he had spent five years in Afghanistan making bombs. He will serve with a minimum term of 40 years for preparing an act of terrorism in the UK and two counts of possessing an explosive substance with intent.

A rather confident explanation by the police in the circumstances:

Police earlier defended the decision not to arrest Ali until April 2017, saying security services had been "managing any potential risk he posed" and that he was arrested at the most appropriate time".

Car collides with barriers outside Parliament at 7.37am
Woman in hospital with "serious" injuries, two others treated
Male driver arrested on suspicion of terror offences
Man, in his 20s, not co-operating with police
Met Police treating crash as terror incident
Cordons in place and Westminster Tube station remains closed

UK CT a review

One of the unique features of UK CT is the role of the Independent Reviewer of Terrorism Legislation (IRTL), held so far by an eminent lawyer and the current incumbent, Max Hill, is moving now to be the Director of Public Prosecutions, heading the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) in England and Wales.
He has just submitted his final report to the government, published online and spoke last week at an event. Within are some figures of note, such as the numbers of those arrested for terrorism who are charged in the last year: in Great Britain 33% (it was 73% last year) and in Northern Ireland 6%.
Link to speech (10 pgs.):https://terrorismlegislationreviewer...ITY-SUMMIT.pdf

Four articles on the UK CT context

I am adding four articles that provide the context for UK CT. All of them have a common theme, which I'd call "Don't panic, it's getting worse". Whether it is the lack of CT policing resources or the growing polarization within communities. The first two articles which refer to policing are undoubtedly intended to influence the forthcoming Budget speech, in brief "We need more money".

First the UK's most senior CT police officer, which is headlined:

UK police not a match for evolving terrorism threat, says top office; Neil Basu says forces not able to deal effectively with 700 live terrorism investigations

Published this week was the official Home Office statistics for CT arrests etc for the quarter up to September 2018. Due to other matters it appears to have not been covered by the BBC, although I saw a London newspaper had an item far into the paper.

Mr Basu said the flow of intelligence from members of the public was vital. “I know some people are still reluctant to speak to us,” he acknowledged. “To them I say, reporting your concerns to us won’t ruin lives, but it might save them.”
In 2017, more than 31,000 reports were made to counterterror police, but last year the number fell to 13,000.
In both years, more than a fifth of tips were “very significant”, leading to the identification of a suspect or plot, or aiding prosecutions.

Locally a senior CTU officer added a little, with my emphasis:

However, crucial intelligence from the public has helped the police and the security services have prevented 18 terror attacks in just under two years. Twenty-two per cent of all reports we receive from members of the public produce important intelligence which is helpful to our investigations. “Like other criminals, terrorists need to plan and that creates opportunities for police and the security services to discover and stop these attacks before they happen. So if you see or hear something unusual or suspicious trust your instincts and ACT by reporting it in confidence by phone or online. The important thing for people to remember is that no report is a waste of our time. Reporting your concerns to us won’t ruin lives, but it might save them."

Lewis Ludlow: How the Oxford Street terror plotter was caught

An in depth article on the investigation that led to this aspiring Muslim convert conviction for plotting an attack in one of London's main shopping streets; known in the CT arena as an 'iconic' site.

A couple of interesting aspects:

For 10 years, there were attempts to enrol Ludlow in the (voluntary) government's de-radicalisation programme Prevent, but he resisted until October 2017 when he began a series of 17 meetings with an assigned mentor. Ludlow sought to create the impression he was positively engaging with the scheme, which appears to have been accepted by those managing his involvement, but in fact his terrorist activity was only increasing.

His jihadist mentor being from the Phillipines:

The device (mobile phone) revealed he had been using encrypted messaging applications to communicate with a Philippines-based IS militant and was planning to move there permanently.A subsequent official decision to revoke his passport angered Ludlow and he then switched his attention to planning an attack in the UK, encouraged and directed by a radicalised medic called Eyadzhemar Abdusalam who used the epithet Abu Yaqeen.

Reporting terrorism: a UK viewpoint

David Anderson, a lawyer and former Independent Reviewer of CT Legislation (highly regarded by many), recently gave a speech to a university journalism course. Naturally the focus is on journalism, including them investigating and interviewing suspects and others. It is also a good commentary on several aspects of UK CT policy and practice.
Link:https://www.daqc.co.uk/wp-content/up.../03/This-1.pdf

Taking stock and looking over your shoulder

A rather large (46 pgs) document by David Anderson, the former Independent Reviewer of CT Legislation, who was asked to conduct an assessment of progress has been made

This is the unclassified summary of a stock-take of the progress made by MI5 and Counter-Terrorism Policing (CTP) in implementing the recommendations arrived at in the Operational Improvement Review and Post-Attack Reviews of 2017.It summarises progress to 31st January 2019 and looks in greater depth in some key areas: use of data, management of closed subjects of interest (CSOIs), multi-agency centre (MAC) pilots, and non-Islamist extremism.

A lot there, often optimistic in tone and with some snippets not previously seen e.g. co-location of CT policing for London and the Security Service (MI5). This "fusion" (not called that here) happened outside London now over twelve years ago.

The 'use of data' by MI5 is currently under judicial review after an application by pressure groups following a report by the oversight body (headed by a judge). The judge stated:

Without seeking to be emotive, I consider that MI5’s use of warranted data … is currently, in effect, in ‘special measures’ and the historical lack of compliance … is of such gravity that [the watchdog Investigatory Powers Commissioner’s Office] IPCO will need to be satisfied to a greater degree than usual that it is ‘fit for purpose.